This is very closely related to the currently-open issue 3257 https://github.com/spyder-ide/spyder/issues/3257 .
I added a comment there pointing to this discussion here. Hope this helps On Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 10:35:51 AM UTC-5, Carlos Córdoba wrote: > > Hi Dan, > > We were not aware this was confusing for our users. Please open a bug > about this in our issue tracker so we can fix it for Spyder 3.2 > > I think the best solution is to maintain the three components in sync > (file explorer, console and toolbar). > > > Cheers, > Carlos > > El 19/01/17 a las 08:23, Dan Codiga escribió: > > Yes, a good complete explanation is helpful. Once one understands how it > all functions, one can work with it. > > But I agree it is pretty complicated and un-intuitive. And even having > used Spyder for more than a year now, I still find myself getting confused > and having to stop periodically and check that I am fully understanding > what is going on. > > There are three directories involved: > 1. Toolbar directory > 2. Console working directory > 3. Base directory of the File Explorer > > On the one hand, the base of the File Explorer and the Toolbar always > update to each other now, but on the other hand the console working > directory changes to match the Toolbar only in response to a change > initiated using the Toolbar. > > In other words when one changes the folder in the Toolbar, both the File > Explorer and the console working directory update so that they are the same > as the Toolbar-- BUT if one changes the folder in the File Explorer the > Toolbar changes to match the File Explorer and the console working > directory does NOT change. > > And meanwhile when the console working directory is changed using commands > in the console, neither the Toolbar nor the File Explorer update or change. > > Seems like it could all be arranged in a more intuitive way. Maybe the > main uses/functions of each of the three directories should be spelled out > and a new logic for how they relate to each other could be considered. Are > all three necessary? If so some brief explanations of why would go a long > way. If not, could the Toolbar be dropped? I don't know. > > For keeping all three, I tend to think that having the File Explorer > independent from the other two, and have the other two (Toolbar and console > working directory) always linked to each other (i.e. if you update one then > the other automatically gets updated to match) would be a good > configuration, if that was possible (it may not be). > > > On Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 9:50:17 PM UTC-5, fchi...@gmail.com > wrote: >> >> Personally, I think it's easier to navigate and change the directory >> using the File Explorer than the toolbar; besides, I find it's a bit >> counter intuitive to have changes in one mirrored by changes in the other >> going both ways, but at the same time have changes in the working directory >> working only when you change the toolbar. >> >> Having said that, I'm fine just knowing that it's meant to work as it is >> :P it's just my intuition that expected something different. Thanks for the >> clarification anyway! >> >> Cheers, >> Fabio >> >> On Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 7:34:28 PM UTC, Carlos Córdoba wrote: >>> >>> Hi, >>> >>> That's true, we don't change the working directory when browsing in the >>> File Explorer. Why do you need that? >>> >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Carlos >>> >>> El 15/01/17 a las 10:02, Scott Forney escribió: >>> >>> This is not my experience Jitse. >>> >>> If I use the bold folder and up-arrow icons >>> >>> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kB9a-FADjEc/WHuOfKL2DvI/AAAAAAAAAPA/1bjGFS65C_Iy_nwtW9NRbYOyzB_4MOxPACLcB/s1600/bold%2Bbuttons.png> >>> >>> >>> to change the path, the working directory changes with it. >>> >>> But if I select folders in the file explorer or use the small up-arrow >>> icons >>> >>> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lhKPqNydoGI/WHuOsUrFqXI/AAAAAAAAAPE/7xAv-8lmqKQl3PMhNKXeP_ccriz7RH4hgCLcB/s1600/small%2Bbuttons.png> >>> >>> >>> >>> to change the path, the working directory does not follow. >>> >>> Just updated to Spyder 3.0.2 >>> >>> On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 11:00:25 AM UTC-6, Jitse Niesen wrote: >>>> >>>> Hello, >>>> >>>> With Spyder 3, the directory in the IPython console is automatically >>>> updated after you change the directory in the toolbar (to the left of the >>>> "folder" icon). The "Set Console Working Directory" was then removed >>>> because it was not so useful. Does that make sense to you? It's important >>>> to me that Spyder is reasonably intuitive especially for beginners. >>>> >>>> There is some discussion at >>>> <https://github.com/spyder-ide/spyder/issues/2910> >>>> https://github.com/spyder-ide/spyder/issues/2910 . >>>> >>>> The screenshot on the Spyder GitHub page does not show Spyder 3. I >>>> guess we should update it. >>>> >>>> Hope this helps, >>>> Jitse >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tuesday, 18 October 2016 20:23:05 UTC+1, fchi...@gmail.com wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi all, >>>>> >>>>> I'm not sure if this is an issue with Spyder or with Anaconda, but >>>>> here it goes; I raised this same question on Stack Overflow >>>>> <http://stackoverflow.com/q/39905258/4118153> a few days ago, so I'm >>>>> just gonna copy the same text here. >>>>> >>>>> I've been using Spyder 2 as my default Python IDE for a couple of >>>>> years already, and while preparing a class on Signal Processing I've >>>>> stumbled upon the new Spyder 3 on Anaconda and decided to see what it >>>>> looks >>>>> like. >>>>> >>>>> First, I've updated the Anaconda distribution on my Ubuntu 16.04 >>>>> office computer to the newest version (i.e. I had a previous version >>>>> already installed), and then got quite surprised when the button for "Set >>>>> Console Working Directory" on the File Explorer (top right, between the >>>>> "folder" icon and the "up arrow" icon) was missing. I can still change >>>>> the >>>>> working directory manually on the IPython console, but it's impractical >>>>> and >>>>> certainly won't motivate the students! >>>>> >>>>> Thinking it could be a bug with the conda update, I've then decided to >>>>> give it a go at downloading and installing the Anaconda for Windows on my >>>>> home laptop (which is probably what most of the students will do), and it >>>>> also does not have the "Set Console Working Directory" button. >>>>> >>>>> By then I was thinking the new Spyder version might have abandoned it, >>>>> but strangely enough, the Spyder GitHub page has a screenshot >>>>> <https://github.com/spyder-ide/spyder> of the new Spyder 3 that HAS >>>>> this exact same button (again: top right, between the "folder" icon and >>>>> the >>>>> "up arrow" icon)! >>>>> >>>>> EDIT: here <http://i.stack.imgur.com/eDHih.png>'s a screenshot of how >>>>> my Spyder looks like in Windows (the big red arrow is pointing towards >>>>> where the icon should be). >>>>> >>>>> Does anyone knows if there is a setting option that hides the "Set >>>>> console working directory" button, or if this is a bug in the more recent >>>>> Anaconda version that doesn't show it? >>>>> >>>>> Many thanks! >>>>> >>>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "spyder" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to spyderlib+...@googlegroups.com. >>> To post to this group, send email to spyd...@googlegroups.com. >>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/spyderlib. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >>> >>> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "spyder" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to spyderlib+...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. > To post to this group, send email to spyd...@googlegroups.com > <javascript:>. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/spyderlib. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "spyder" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to spyderlib+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to spyderlib@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/spyderlib. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
